Survey finds that 76% of consumers have already used augmented reality, and most others expect to use it in the future

Camera IQ, the no-code design platform for AR, announced today the launch of its report on the state of the industry: “The Gateway to the Metaverse: AR Marketing & Consumer Behavior in 2022.” In the report, survey data collected from 1,500 US consumers reveals the extent to which consumers crave AR experiences, how AR affects their relationships with the brands that use it, and how it serves as a gateway to the metaverse. According to the survey, 76% of consumers have already used AR one way or another, and more than half of those who have not yet tried AR say they hope to do so in the future.

• AR experiences often go ‘viral’: 78% of consumers say they are likely to share a brand’s AR experience with their community, while 53% say they have already shared AR content on social media. More than 4 out of 10 are more likely to share an AR experience on social media than other types of brand posts.
• AR accelerates the buyer’s journey: 59% of consumers say they would be more likely to purchase a product they’ve seen visualized through AR. Meanwhile, 82% said they would likely feel positive towards a brand that used AR to educate them about products or services, and 39% went so far as to say they prefer when brands use AR over all other types of content.
• AR offers several crucial use cases for brands: Among consumers who have used AR, product visualizations are the most common experience at 39%. 36% have engaged with virtual try-ons of clothing, makeup, and accessories. 32% have played AR-based games on their mobile devices.
• Social media “Stories” sets the stage for AR: 91% of consumers claim to use Stories, making them an almost universal part of the social media experience. 72% even say they use Stories multiple times a week, and 44% say they do so daily. What makes Stories so popular? They serve as an axis for both creation and discovery. Stories create a portal between a user and their community, and the bridge is camera-based content.